


Permission to Die

by Mellifeathers



Series: Permission to Die [1]
Category: Batman - Fandom, Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Genre: Action, Drama, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-06
Updated: 2015-04-22
Packaged: 2018-02-24 09:48:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2577113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mellifeathers/pseuds/Mellifeathers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The thought of dying was frightening, but when I thought my time had come, I was saved, by a man seen as a criminal through the eyes of many. But he was a guardian; he was my savior in my eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

I cried out in pain when the bullet tore through my hip. I felt the wind getting knocked out of me by the blow that connected with my stomach right after, and to end it all, a large knife was stuck in to me, once, twice, three times and it was done.

"There is no use of you left, Darling." The voice was all too familiar, the same voice I had been obeying for quite a while now. I wanted to scream, call him the nastiest names, tell him to end me or I would kill him. But I couldn't. I could hardly breathe.

"This is what happens to those who disobey me. Goodbye Darling," he walked away with his henchmen that had done the dirty job, leaving me to die by blood loss and the cold. I felt the chill to my bone but my hip was burning. So were the deep stabs and the hot knife sticking out of my ribs looked horrid. I started to choke on the blood that was rising from my stomach to my mouth and started to say my prayers.

I was sent to kill a man named Bane, I hadn't known who he was, what he looked like, but my master had sent me to murder him, seeing as he was a threat. I wasn't really a hit(wo)man, but times change and I needed to do certain things to keep my income. I had dirtied my hands before, and I was sent to do it again. But when I reached this place, I was ambushed and taken down by my boss' henchmen. He had planned my death, seeing me as a threat after our… argument. I pleaded to the gods, the devils, for someone to find me and help me.

"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear." The voice sent shivers down my spine as I saw a dark figure step out of the shadows. He was humongous. His voice sounded deep and heavy, but mechanical at the same time. As if he spoke through something. My vision was getting blurry and I felt the raindrops on my head while the figure came closer. I looked up at him and I whimpered in pain, I couldn't see his face but he scared me.

"Please, don't hurt me anymore," I whispered, thinking it was one of the henchmen.  
"My dear, the pain you are enduring now is nowhere near the pains I can bestow upon you." The warm tears slid down my face and he kneeled next to me. My sight turned into a large haze and I felt his hand brush my face.

"I'm going to die," I whispered while he kneeled by my side.

"No you will not, little one. I am here now." I felt the knife being ripped from my body and my consciousness fail me. I was dropped into the darkness, not to be awoken until the time was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, this is my Batman – Bane story. I wanted to make a few things clear so I don't confuse anyone; You will not know until a few chapters later who my OC: Malice Darling works for. And I don't do the whole "Meet each other, fall in love, have babies" within two chapters haha. I like having a whole story around it and if you keep reading, I promise you that it's not your typical "romance" story, I put a lot of thought and work into it so I really hope you give it a chance! This is just an introduction chapter, so I hope it gives you an idea of my writing style. I've previously posted this on two other sites in hope to spread some Batman & Bane love with you all. Enjoy!


	2. Barsad

When I awoke, a man stood next to my bed, taking my temperature. I flinched and he hushed me softly and carefully, making sure to give me my space.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you. My name is Barsad," he said calm. He was almost Persian looking, his hair was short and dark and he had facial hair that looked good on him, and his eyes looked at me sincerely, but strictly at the same time. He meant no harm, I could see that by the way he presented himself.

"Where am I? Are you the one that found me?" I couldn't move, I could just tilt my head to look at the man who was helping me. His voice sounded no way similar to the one I had heard that night. Come to think of it, I should've been dead. I didn't understand what was going on and I could feel my heart starting to race and I could hear a machine start to beep faster.  
"No, our boss found you. You're in our hide out. Don't worry, we're taking care of you, you lost a lot of blood. Calm down, you're safe with us." It was only now that I saw that they had created the room to look like a hospital room. A white drape was hanging in front of the window, to keep the light out and for privacy. I was hooked up to multiple tubes, giving me blood and fluids. My head and body hurt like hell.

"I... I don't know what to say," I whispered and he smiled.  
"You can start by telling me your name?" he said kindly but kept his rough posture. I wondered what kind of hide out this was, were they criminals? Mercenaries? Peace corps?  
"Malice. Malice Darling," I whispered.  
"It's nice to meet you Malice, I'm sorry about the circumstances. But you will not be able to move much for the upcoming few days. My boss has given me strict orders to keep an eye on you and to keep you here. Whoever tried to hurt you might try to come and find you, but you will not be found here." I realized now he was a mercenary, but I wondered who his boss was. Honestly I didn't want anything to do with other mercenaries and killers, I needed to get out of that world, but I wasn't one to be picky in my situation right now. I did notice that they had taken good care of me, I was dressed in a jogging pants and in a tank top, covered by a warm bedspread. Hell, I was alive! I really couldn't believe it.

"We are a… revolutionary group; you have nothing to worry about. We will take care of you," he said and I had my doubts, but I couldn't get up and run away. I could hardly move, my body seemed numb but I could still feel it aching. And it seemed that so far they had done a good job, I was clothed, alive and warm, that was what counted right now. Getting better was the next step.

"Thank-you, Bernard."  
"Barsad," he laughed and I blushed.  
"Barsad," I whispered, correcting myself.

"Rest Alice," he said and gave me a teasing smile. He was teasing me because I had called him the wrong name, he was kind. I needed that right now, someone to make me smile after such a horrible time.

"Thank-you, I appreciate what you're doing for me," I whispered.  
"Don't thank me yet, a few days ago you died. We had to do CPR on you. You're missing part of your stomach," he whispered and I closed my eyes, not wanting to know these things. Not right now. My mind was too tired to process these things.  
"No wonder I don't feel hungry," I kidded weary. I felt him smile and he told me to rest. Without hesitation I fell back into a dream world with no pain.

When I awoke again, I looked up to see three men standing over me. They were covered in blood and I couldn't move.  
"Dammit, she's bleeding out," I heard one say but didn't realize that they were talking about me.

"She's awake! Get her back to sleep," Barsad commanded. I suddenly felt the pain and the cold on my stomach and ribs and I screamed in pain. It was the most horrible pain I had ever felt. I felt and saw how they pushed a mask down on my face and I fell back into a deep sleep from the gasses I inhaled.

What was going on?

When I woke up again I was looking up in Barsad's eyes. It was night time but he had lit a candle.

"How are you feeling?" he asked softly and I groaned in pain.  
"Like hell," I mumbled.  
"I can understand why." He slid down the covers and I looked down to see metal tubes which stuck out like my ribs. I looked shocked up into his eyes and he looked away, as if he was ashamed.  
"I'm sorry, I know it looks horrid but you'll get used to it. We created it for you, it injects a toxic into your system that maintains the pain and covers up the wound. You were bleeding so much, I thought you were dead for sure. We tried repairing your ribs and stomach, even your spinal cord had been damaged, but we couldn't do it without something like this. You need the pain killers," he whispered.

"Why didn't you let me die?" I asked softly. I didn't even know this man, but it seemed as if he had given me more attention than I had ever received from anyone in this godforsaken world.  
"Our boss made it clear, that if you died. He would kill us."  
"But why? What use am I to you?" I asked and Barsad smiled.  
"Whatever importance you have to him, you have to us too." I shivered from the cold and he pushed a lock of my hair out of my face. His hands were nice and warm, but comforting too. I hadn't had a man touch me in such a sweet way in years.

"Who is your boss?" I asked and he grinned slightly.  
"A very powerful man, you shall meet him soon enough," he said and I nodded, too tired to keep asking.  
"How does the metal feel?" he asked and I tried to sit up but decided against it. It hurt way too much.  
"Painful and stiff right now."  
"You will get used to it."  
"Thank you Barsad," I said softly and he nodded while looking into my eyes.  
"Rest," he whispered and I shut my eyes once more.

I drifted in and out of reality for a few days but finally had the strength to stand one night. I didn't know how much time had passed but I was tired from lying down and healing, I needed to get rid of the stiffness in my body.

I pushed my legs over the bed and groaned while I sat up in pain. I felt the tubes through my ribs move with me and it was heavy and painful. I knew immediately that this meant no more slouching.

Slowly I stood up and I held myself up on the bed. Behind the door I heard shuffling and I walked towards it, when I tried to open it, it was locked. I pulled on it a little harder and heard the lock open. Barsad looked down on me and sighed.  
"You should be lying down," he said softly.  
"I'm tired of lying down. My body is sore," I said and he took a step closer which made me take a step back. I sat down on the bed and he closed the door behind him.  
"Are you hungry?" he asked and I nodded. All I had "eaten" was through TPN. They had kept me neatly hydrated and everything.  
"Stay here, I'll be right back." I did as he said and just like he promised, he came back ten minutes later with a plate full of food. He gave it to me and I looked up at him and smiled.  
"Thank-you Barsad." He nodded and I ate while he looked at me.

"I don't understand how… you've kept me alive. This thing is amazing. I am very thankful," I said softly.

"We're very medical equipped."

After I was done eating I had to lie down again. He pulled up my shirt and took the bandage off my stomach and I looked down. My ribs had always stuck out a bit, but the last few had been replaced by the metal tubes, looking like my ribs, but actually being above my skin. It looked as if it had been healed into my skin, but seeing as how ugly the closing wounds looked, I guessed the had severed it, maybe hoping the skin would grow over them at one point. I didn't see where I would be injecting the toxins into, but I guessed he would explain it all to me later.

"You're healing well, it's been a while. Now rest, I shall check on you later." I nodded and closed my eyes, hoping that I'd be better soon. Tired of lying in bed and having to depend on others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My idea for Malice's ribs is kinda like Banes mask, that they did about the same thing. So you can actually see the tubes sticking out of her skin so she can inject the toxins that numb the pain. I know there's a lot of Barsad in the beginning, but I find him a very important character and I don't like rushing into a story! I hope y'all enjoy it, I would love to hear what you think!


	3. Metal

I awoke one night by the sound of someone breathing. I could hear the mechanical rattle softly as it buzzed when he breathed in and out. I felt a large hand caress my cheek and I looked up to see the large figure that had saved my life.  
"It's you," I whispered, recognizing the large man's posture that towered over me, he had been keeping an eye on me.  
"What is your name?" I asked softly while I listened to his breathing, I wasn't afraid of him. Why would I be afraid of a man that had saved my life? I shouldn't be afraid of a person that's doing everything to keep me alive.  
"You may call me Bane, Miss Darling," he said softly, standing over me. He was quite a figure, he was huge and intimidating. But I couldn't see his face in the dark, I wondered what was causing him to sound almost mechanical.

"Bane? I was sent to kill you." It had been a trap, but still my boss was aware of his existence. I wondered how he knew Bane, and why he knew him. I would've never been able to kill such a large man, if he was as powerful as he was big, then I was in big trouble.  
"But you will not," he said simply. I closed my eyes again and wished I could see his face, so I could match it with his voice. But the drugs had taken its full effect on me once more, even though I fought to stay awake.

"I'm sorry," I whispered and fell into a deep sleep, wishing I wasn't so tired and that I could continue talking to my savior.

I woke up again a few days later and finally stood up again. The pain wasn't as bad as first, but I guessed that was because the toxins had been released into my system and acted as pain killers. I felt a little dizzy but I was able to move. I stood up and felt my body ache, I needed to start moving around more, this was unhealthy. My wounds had been healing pretty well on the other side.

The door opened and Barsad walked in. I smiled up at him and he steadied me on my feet.  
"You ready to take a shower?" he asked and I laughed while nodding. I felt like a dead cat, of course they had taken care of me, but my hair was a mess, I felt greasy. I didn't even know how long I had been laying in that bed. It seemed like weeks.  
"I feel like a mess, I can't wait to take a shower. Will the tubes rust?" I asked and he shook his head.  
"They will be fine, come," he said and walked with me out the door. We walked through an empty hallway and walked into another room. I looked at the room; there were computers everywhere and other devices. I felt the stare of a few men, amazed to see a woman in their hide-out. Apparently I had been kept as a small secret in the depths here. I could see multiple monitors with scripts and videos being played, I assumed they had cameras hiding up around the town. Wherever we were.

"Get back to work," Barsad snapped at the men that were looking me up and down. Apparently I didn't look too bad, because some of the men started to grin when they saw me. Barsad and I walked into a room where they had shower stalls. It was al tiled and even though it wasn't really clean, it was a little piece of heaven to finally be able to leave my room.  
"All you need is in the stall, I shall bring you a towel and clothes. Do you need any further help?" I shook my head,  
"I'll be fine, thank-you." Barsad walked away and I undressed and turned on the water. Within seconds it was warm and I took off my bandages carefully without looking at the damage. I didn't want to see it right now, I wanted to enjoy my shower, enjoy my little piece of heaven.

I stepped under the water spray. It was the most heavenly feeling ever. The warm sprays covered my body and all the blood and dirt washed from my body. I used so much soap, it felt amazing. I washed out my hair and took my time to take care of myself. I could've moaned in pleasure, but I didn't. If anyone else was around, I didn't want them thinking I was using the shower head for other things except bathing…

I heard the door open and Barsad's voice.  
"There is a towel and clothes outside your stall, enjoy. Take as long as your need too," Barsad said and I thanked him. I showered for another few minutes, enjoying the warmth and thinking of how lucky I was to be alive. I still couldn't believe it.

I dried myself off and cleaned out my wounds carefully that had healed pretty well. They were still tender, even after weeks' time. But they were deep and just irritated now. Some places were worse than others. But I ignored it. I wrapped the towel around my body and looked in the mirror. I looked healthy again. I hadn't looked this healthy in months actually. My face wasn't sunken in anymore, I didn't have the large blue circles under my eyes from not sleeping. The only thing that looked bad was the healing wounds and my metal ribs. It was… different. But it kept my pain subsided and it kept me alive. All thanks to these men. I wondered what they expected me to do in return…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a slow chapter, just to show how much Malice appreciates that she's actually alive and a quick meeting with Bane. Like I said; I don't like rushing into a story. But guess what? More Bane is coming right up! Oh, and I must admit; Sorry if there are any grammar mistakes and such, I'm more used to writing in Dutch seeing as… well I am Dutch haha. I hope to hear from y'all again, any type of feedback is welcome! I love hearing feedback on my story, tips are always welcome!


	4. Following Orders

I got dressed in the undergarments and put on a pair of tight jeans that fit perfectly and a shirt. I looked in the mirror once more and breathed deep in and out. I walked out of the room with the towel still around my shoulders while my hair still slightly dripped and Barsad looked me up and down. I saw the corner of his mouth turn upwards slightly, giving me a little grin.

"You look much better, miss Darling," he said and I thanked him. He always spoke in such a mannerly fashion, it appealed to me.  
"I will tend to your wounds and then Bane would like to speak to you," he said and I felt myself get nervous.  
"Let's do this," I said softly and we walked back to the room I had stayed in. I noticed they had cleaned up in the meantime, a new bed sheet and everything, the IV was still there and so were the medical supplies, just in case something would happen to me, or of course to anyone else around here.

Barsad closed the door behind us and I lifted my shirt while he cleaned the wounds with disinfectants. He did his work nice and neatly. Afterwards he wrapped my ribs up again and I was done.

"Ready?" I nodded and followed him outside. We walked down a flight of stairs and walked outside.

The cold air greeted me and it felt amazing to feel the fresh air upon me. I breathed deep in and out while looking around. Everyone was working in and around the courtyard, we were resided in a large building, deep in the city. It seemed like the streets were empty outside of this courtyard.

At the top of a small flight of stairs, I saw a man that was built large and had his arms crossed in front of his chest while he watched his people working. He was wearing a strange device over his head, I could only see the back of his bald head, but he turned around when we approached him.

"Sir," Barsad said and I looked into the eyes of Bane. His face was mostly covered by a mask, and as I looked into his eyes, it seemed as if he expected me to fear his appearance. But I didn't.

"Malice Darling," he said and I recognized the voice immediately, it sounded slightly mechanical, but at the same time very charming. He stuck out his hand, I hesitated but shook it. His whole hand was about twice as large as mine, but he was gentle and careful not to squeeze me into pulp. I felt intimidated by the large man, but I still felt comfortable enough to stand before him, straight up without cowering.  
"It's good to see you on your feet and alive," he said softly and I thanked him.  
"Please follow me," Bane said. I looked at Barsad who nodded that it was alright, so I followed Bane into a tent. Bane sat down at a desk and beckoned me to sit down opposite of him, even sitting he was humongous.

"I want to talk to you about a few things," he said easily.

"Of course."

"Who was your boss? I have heard many rumors," he said and I felt the blood rush to my head.  
"I am sorry sir, I was only following orders."  
"Don't call me sir, I am not your boss. You may address me as Bane. Now, who was your boss?"  
"I cannot tell you," I whispered while looking into his eyes. He looked back at me and I felt the atmosphere shift slightly, but it still was comfortable enough.  
"Even after he tried taking your life?"  
"Yes, even after he tried killing me. I shall handle it myself," I said strictly and Bane observed me.  
"Very well," he said, knowing that if the time was right, I would cave in anyway and tell him everything he wished to know.  
"How can I repay you for saving my life?" I asked softly, trying to change the subject.

"I don't expect you too, the only thing I wish from you, is if you stay, to follow my rules and wishes, just like the others do." I looked deep into his eyes that were staring back at mine, he was such an intimidating figure. He sent chills down my spine, but at the same time I did not fear him. Why would he hurt someone he put so much effort in saving?


	5. Old Friends

"I must hope your wishes do not push my limits," I said softly, knowing how men could be.  
"You think negatively about me. I can assure you they would not push your limits." He stood up and I looked at the black shirt under his jacket clinging to his large body that consisted of muscles and mass. I couldn't help but swallow and look away for a moment.

"I hope to see you still here when I return. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a plane to catch," he said and took off his jacket. I bowed my head, so he would not catch my stare. I stood up, this was my queue to leave. Our conversation was over for now.  
"Do not tire yourself, Darling," he said and I knew he was referring to my name, but it sounded so seductive. Although he had no intention of doing so, I believed.

"Have a safe flight, Bane." I said softly and walked away.  
"Darling," I heard him say and I turned around questioning.  
"I shall be back soon, you're welcome here to stay, just as you are welcome to leave," he said and I thanked him.  
"I shall see what you have chosen when I return," he added. I left the tent and Barsad waited on me. We walked back to the building and walked inside without saying anything while I thought about my possibilities.

"Will you be staying or leaving? We have a good life, our boss knows what he is doing. We get payed, food, supplies and we have shelter, that's more than what most of us started out with," he said and I understood. These were henchmen, and I wondered why they had settled here, and what kind of work I would have to perform if I stayed here. And of course I wondered if Bane worked for someone higher up, or if that he was extracting his own plans.

"I'll sleep on it, how far away are we from Gotham?" I asked and he looked me in the eyes.  
"We are just outside of Gotham, is there something you need done?" he asked and I smiled while my head filled with multiple thoughts.  
"I need to greet an old friend of mine, whatever my choice is, I shall keep your secrets safe," I said and he nodded. That was all he needed to know. I wouldn't reveal their plans or their hide-out, they had helped me, what right did I have giving them into the police?

That night I was left to sleep in my room that I had stayed in for the past few weeks. I was feeling better, better than I had in a long time. I needed to train though, I felt myself being weaker than before, and I needed to find out how much I could do with these metal ribs. But I still felt tired and restless, I had an idea where to go to, but I wouldn't have a home like I did.

I found myself thinking about Bane that night. Why had he wanted me to stay? I wondered where he had come from and what his plans were. But it had nothing to do with me. I had my own plans, and my own revenge to extract. I wasn't bound to him.

The following day I showered and got dressed. I missed my old clothing but these would do. I walked towards Barsad and we shook hands. It was time to say goodbye.  
"Thank-you for everything, Barsad," I said softly as I looked into his eyes.  
"It was a pleasure, miss Darling."  
"Thank Mr. Bane for me, I hope to see you and him soon," I said and he smiled.  
"As do we you, sooner than you think." I walked away but he called back at me.  
"Oh, miss Darling," he said and tossed me something. I caught it and looked at it. It was a key and on the keychain were two small tubes with fluids.  
"Just let us know when you need more toxins, and Bane made sure you had a ride," he said and I grinned.  
"He knew I was leaving?" I asked.  
"You have your own plans miss Darling. Be safe."  
"Thank-you again Barsad, take care." I walked downstairs and to the courtyard where a beautiful Maserati Gran Turismo stood. I grinned while men watched me get in as I looked up to where my room had been, and I saw Barsad looking out the window, down on me. I winked, stepped in, turned on the car as it vroomed to life and drove out without hesitation and left the hide-out.

A few days passed and I had been planning on getting back to Gotham, but I had taken two days to get together a few belongings. Bane had not only set me up with a ride, but had also made sure I had money. He was one of a kind, and deep down I knew I would be seeing him soon enough.

Heading to the only place in Gotham I knew I would be safe, I parked my car in front of the Wayne's Mansion and walked up to the door. It was quiet for some time, until Alfred opened the door and saw me.  
"Darling," he said surprised and smiled a greeting.  
"You're alive."  
"For the most part," I laughed and he let me in after I hugged the old man.  
"How is he doing?" I asked and Alfred shook his head.

"He has not left the mansion, and after hearing of your death, he fell into a deeper depression and has hardly eaten anything."  
"Let us have a feast tonight, maybe I can lighten up his spirits," I said softly and Alfred smiled.  
"I must hope so Darling, come this way." I followed Alfred through the familiar halls and walked up to the bedroom. I knocked softly and walked in to find him, Bruce Wayne, being recluse from the world, like he had been for a while.


	6. Welcome Home

"Mr. Wayne," I whispered and he opened his eyes and looked tired up at me.  
"Malice," he said softly, almost not believing that I stood before him and I smiled.  
"You're alive," he said and I hugged the man. He kissed my crown and smiled happily while sighing relieved.  
"How are you feeling?" I asked him and I saw that his smile was weak. He had been shut off from the world for far too long.  
"I'm doing alright, I am happy you are okay."  
"You need to wake up sir, you have been in the dark for far too long."  
"I did not miss your nagging though," he mumbled, teasing me and I laughed.

"Get up sir," I insisted and sat next to him while he sat up in bed.  
"You smell very musky, are you alright?" he asked and I nodded.  
"Some… friends took me in," I said and lifted my shirt to show him my metal ribs. He touched them carefully while he whispered my name, not believing how I had survived such a thing.  
"They took care of me," I whispered and he nodded understanding.  
"Can I stay here for a while, so I can get equipped again? My muscles are tense and they need to be trained," I asked and he nodded.  
"You are always welcome, my dear young friend," he said and I thanked him. I walked to my room so that he could get dressed. I had spent many nights here before and I took care of myself, injecting the toxins into the tubes so the pain was numbed. I didn't know if it would ever go away, but this would do for now.

I washed up and when I was done, I put on a pair of tight black pants and wore a blouse on top of that. I grabbed my old leather jacket and found my cigarettes. I laughed, it had been so long. Bruce hated it when I smoked, but I didn't feel the need for it anymore. Maybe that was also because my lungs were very fragile right now.

"Mr. Wayne, would you mind if I equipped myself?" I asked nicely while I stood outside his room.  
"You know where the door is," he answered and I thanked him, heading down to the cave. I found his gun stash and grabbed a hunting knife and a pistol and headed back upstairs. I had always known about his secret.  
"The dinner is ready," Alfred said and I thanked him.

Bruce finally came to sit down at the table with me and the candle was the only light.  
"Did you miss me?" I teased and he looked at me and shook his head.  
"Hardly," he grinned and I laughed.

"I was saddened by your death," he said and I smiled kindly at the man.  
"You shouldn't be, if it is my time, then it is how it is," I said and he shook his head.  
"You're living in pain and if I am not mistaken, you are missing a few ribs," he said and I bowed my head.  
"He turned on me, he's changed. He is out for Wayne's Enterprise now sir, and knowing our connection, he needed to end me so I wouldn't say anything," I explained.  
"I'll make sure to keep my eyes open, thank-you for keeping my secret safe," Bruce said while we ate.

"Who took you in?" I played with my food a little and looked into his eyes.  
"I am not allowed to tell you everything, Mr. Wayne."

"Darling," he threatened with his deeper voice that he used to cover up his identity. I grinned slightly.  
"I am not afraid of you, Batman. I am in no way obligated to tell you everything," I said and he shook his head, a little annoyed that his threatening voice didn't work on me anymore.  
"That is true; I guess I still feel like I need to watch over you, after all these years." I smiled and thought back about when I had met him, reminiscing this with him.

I was an orphan and had been taken in at the orphanage. But I had never liked it there. We were treated right but I wanted to experience an adventure and was never pleased.

One night, I had been followed by a man wearing a mask. He tossed a powder in my face, making me hallucinate about him, almost actually scaring me to death. Batman had saved me, taken me to his home and taken care of me. He knew who I was and I immediately knew who he was. He was the man that had invested in our orphanage, Bruce Wayne. He was Batman. I promised to keep his secret safe and he had personally helped me in many ways, getting me a job as a secretary for a construction company. And later on I started to do more IT and would be able hack into systems without a problem. I had helped Batman in many ways, as I had helped my boss. But I kept my mouth shut to my boss about who Bruce Wayne really was, as I kept my mouth shut about my boss investing in a few… darker stocks.

My boss had made me hack into a few stocks so he would earn more money and had made me do a lot of dirty business. But when he set his eyes on Wayne's Enterprise, he knew that I would have to be out of the way to make this happen, before I would get a chance to tell Bruce. So he sent a few henchmen after me. Bruce knew nothing of my hacking business or the dirty work I did for my boss, and I wished he wouldn't find out either.

I never knew why Bruce had chosen me to reveal his secret too. He could've left me at a hospital after what happened, but he had personally taken care of me. I guess we all have our secrets.


	7. Stock Market

That night I slept very well, but during the night I had returning dreams of Bane standing beside me, while we watched a city burn. I felt his hands brush my face, like he had done that one night, waking me up from my sleep. I was awake back in the Manor and sighed softly, it might of seemed strange, but I missed knowing that Bane or Barsad was by my side.

The next few days I started to train again, and it didn't seem like Bruce was doing much himself. I asked him multiple times to join me in my trainings, but he didn't want too. He kept a close eye on me, making sure my ribs were alright and the rest of my body.

Bruce and I had never been intimate. I was 23 years old and he was… about 40 to 50 years old. I had always seen him as a teacher or more like a fatherly figure, even though we hadn't been around each other constantly. Knowing I had a place in his home was more than enough, and having a dinner with my good friends once in a while was to top it off. I stayed out of his Batman business, I was 15 when the Harvey Dent incident happened and since then I had been doing some underground work for Bruce, just to keep him out of trouble.

It had been about a month since I had left Bane and his henchmen, I had less frequent dreams about Bane now, but they would still visit me often. I didn't know why, but they did. It surely wasn't the toxins… But one morning I decided it was time to take care of old business, since I had been tapping into a lot of my old boss's information. I took a shower and got dressed in a nice skirt and a baby blue blouse. On top of that I wore a business jacket. A pair of black boots topped it off.

"Where will you be going?" Bruce asked, he had woken up, catching me heading towards the door. He seemed different, I didn't know what he had been up to the past few days. He even had some company over too.  
"To the stock market, I need to… visit an old boss," I said and walked outside. I carried a pistol in my thigh holster, just in case things would get out of hand.  
"Be safe Malice," he called out, clearly I had been cleaning up a lot of dirty work lately and finally he was noticing that things could go wrong without him.

I drove to the stock market. When I arrived, I parked my Maserati that Bane had given to me and walked inside. I saw the gates by the entrance, any metal would send off the alarm. I would have to find another way in, or maybe I could wing it with the pistol strapped to my leg. It was a male guard anyway. I had come to hack the computers, to make sure that my boss hadn't done anything to make Wayne's Enterprise go bankrupt. Bruce had no interest in buying stocks at the moment, he was almost in ruins. But knowing my bosses plans, I needed to do something.

I walked up to the gate and the man looked me up and down. I went through and the alarm went off.  
"Sorry sir, it's the metal in and on my body," I said giving him an innocent look.  
"You are going to have to show me," he said and I raised my eyebrow. I guess he thought I could show him a scar on my arm or such. I stood before him, there was almost no one here, but I unbuttoned my blouse and showed him my metal ribs. His eyes widened.  
"Believe me now?" He wasn't staring at my ribs, so I sighed and buttoned up while some people walked past behind me, not setting off the alarm. With a metal detector he went over my body and by my thighs it went off again. The man blushed furiously and I grinned at him.  
"It's just a piercing… I can show you if you want me too," I smiled seductively. I hoped I didn't have to pull the gun on him.  
"I-I believe you," he stuttered and let me inside. I smiled, closing my jacket and finding my way around. People seemed like they were going crazy for the stocks, but I observed the place.

I saw a man cleaning shoes for another man and he seemed vaguely familiar. I ignored the thought and I walked around and found that a lot of men had taken an interest in me, which wasn't uncommon.

I walked up to a man and "accidently" bumped into him and taken his badge with ease. I needed it to access the computers, but I had not looked to see the appearance of this man.  
"I am so sorry sir," I said, trying to pull off the innocent girl scene and looked into his eyes. I recognized him and I looked surprised while my breath caught in my throat.  
"Barsad."


	8. Hostage

"I believe you have something that is mine," Barsad said and I gave him the card without hesitation.  
"What are you doing here?" I hissed and suddenly gun shots went off.  
"Get down," Barsad said angrily and he pushed me away. I hid behind a counter with another man and watched as Bane walked in. Everyone was down on the floor, crouched, watching the humongous man walk in. He walked up to a man sitting on a chair in front of a computer. What were they doing here?!

"This is a stock exchange, there is no money here," the man said whom Bane walked up too. Bane looked at his business card and grabbed him by his tie.  
"Really? Then why are you people here?" I watched as he pushed the man and knocked him out on the desk. He entered the card of the man into the computer and one of his henchmen hacked into it. Bane walked around looking at people, no one dared to move.

Within minutes I heard police sirens come closer. I wasn't sure if I should show myself, Barsad had been eyeing me a few times but left me be. Bane looked around and looked at the man still downloading something onto the system. It had been a few minutes and no one dared move, seeing how threatening it was right now. I could see Barsad's eyes flick my way and I gave him a warning look, we had nothing to do with each other, he needed to keep his mouth shut. I had my own things to do.

"They cut the fiber, cells working," the henchman told Bane. Bane was a very patient man and nodded.  
"For now." He looked around again.  
"How much longer does the program need?" Bane asked. The man looked up at his boss.

"8 minutes."  
"Time to go mobile," Bane said, and as on cue, his henchmen started shooting in the air, telling people to get up. I hesitated, but stood and Barsad looked my way. Bane saw the look in his eyes and followed his gaze, resting it upon me.  
"Darling," he said nonchalant and grabbed me while putting on a helmet.  
"Let go of me!" I said angrily. He was too strong, he needed but one hand to hold me and I grabbed for my gun in my thigh holster, I wanted to give him a warning that I was serious, but he was too strong for me too handle. His hand clasped over my hand onto my thigh and he looked into my eyes. He gave my leg a squeeze and I felt my legs buckle, but he held me up.  
"Allow me," he said, grabbing the gun and tossing it to Barsad.

Bane sat me in front of his motorcycle that was parked inside and held a hand around my waist.  
"You're in for a ride," Bane told me and drove slowly while the group of stock marketers were used as a human shield. As soon as we were near the opening of the door, Bane drove off in full speed while he still held me around the waist.  
"I'd hold on if I were you," he said and I held on to the handles of the motorcycles, next to his big hands. Suddenly a large ramp approached and I almost screamed when we went over it, I held on for dear life and when we landed he put one arm around me again and drove, he kept me right on my place, absolutely not letting go of me. I didn't understand how he could do such a thing with one hand? He was too strong.

Quickly we hit a tunnel, I couldn't do anything while we drove but suddenly the lights went out while cop cars followed us.  
"Fuck," I hissed, I knew what was coming. Bane kept driving while there was a lot of commotion going after us, I couldn't turn around to confirm my suspicion, but I knew for a fact that my good friend was following us. Bane would be meeting Batman soon enough.

Suddenly we hit the highway and Bane turned the motorcycle around. The police were not tracking Bane anymore; they were after the man that followed us now. Seeing as he was seen as a criminal, for killing Harvey Dent. Suddenly I saw the familiar motorcycle close up on us and I looked into the eyes of him, Batman.  
"Bruce," I whispered but we drove by, faster than a blink of an eye.  
The police didn't follow us, they were after Batman now.

Bane started to slow down when we were in the smaller streets and we came out near an old alleyway. He stopped the motorcycle and let me go carefully.  
"What were you doing back there?" Bane asked me angrily.  
"The question is, what were you doing?" I asked him while I got off the motorcycle in a hurry and almost falling, Bane caught me with one hand and steadied me, making sure I wouldn't hurt myself.  
"You could have been injured, you shouldn't have been there," he said while parking the motorcycle.  
"I was trying to help my friend! What the hell was that?!" I asked him angrily. He stood up and towered over me and I felt myself back down.

"My mission is to bankrupt Bruce Wayne," he said and I looked him in the eyes. Why was he telling me this? Was this the truth? I backed away, I couldn't believe it. Was he working for who I thought he was working for?  
"Who are you?" I asked and Bane lifted my chin.  
"I am Gotham's reckoning," he said and I couldn't believe that the man who had saved me, was also the man that was trying to hurt my dear friend.

"You work for John Daggett, don't you?" I asked, feeling used. A strange feeling crept over my skin and down my spine.  
"He had given me some instructions for a small fortune, yes," he said softly.  
"I can't trust you," I whispered and started to walk away. Bane grabbed me by my shoulder and pushed me up against the wall, carefully not to injure me, but with enough force to put me in my place.

"What do you know?" he asked and tears ran down my face. He had no idea what was going on. But I thought I could trust Bane, that he was my savior. But he wasn't. I didn't even know what to think at this point anymore.  
"I worked for John Daggett, I did his damn dirty work. He's a son of a bitch" I said angrily.

"So you know Bruce Wayne?" Bane asked softly and I nodded.  
"He…" I stopped as soon as Barsad came driving up to us and another henchman.  
"Let's go," Barsad said and Bane opened the lid from the sewers.  
"Ladies first," Bane said and I shook my head.  
"I am not going down there," I told him, I didn't want to be around a man that worked for Daggett.  
"Then I am going to have to make you," he said and grabbed me around my waist and while I screamed he jumped down. He landed and the thud was loud, he was a very heavy man and I was furious. I tried getting out of his grip but it was useless.

"Now, will you be able to walk on your own? Or am I going to have to carry you?" Bane said and I didn't move.  
"As you wish," he said and slung me over his shoulder.  
"Dammit Bane!" I yelled at him as he walked. But no one would hear me down here.


	9. Deal

We came out into an underground hide-out, set up with computers, monitors and other systems. By now I had calmed down and Bane was still carrying me over his large shoulder. I bobbed up and down on his shoulder while looking up at Barsad who was walking behind us. Barsad seemed tense but his expression relaxed a little when our eyes met.  
"Where are we?" I asked.  
"We've moved underground for now," Bane said and set me down on a bed. I saw some henchmen walking around and Barsad put my pistol on Banes desk while he looked at some computer screens.

"What were you planning to do with this?" Bane asked, inspecting the pistol and I shook my head. It seemed as if he was mocking me.  
"To defend myself against strange men that want to do me harm," I spat at him, still sour that he had taken me against my will.  
"You are not very kind to a man that saved your life," he said easily and I looked into his eyes. I felt my heart skip a beat and I felt a strange feeling inside. He did save me, just like Bruce had done, so long ago. But this was different; he had actually given me my life back. He had actually gone the extra mile and made me new ribs. But he was working for my number one enemy, the man that had ruined my life and I just didn't know what I needed to do now. I should've fled and left town, but I didn't. I was going to end the life of the man that had done this to me.

"I never asked for you to save my life. Please let me go," I said softly.  
"I am afraid I cannot do that," he said and I clenched my fists.  
"Fine, but don't expect to get answers from me," I whispered and lay down on the bed. I turned my back towards him, I was mad. But at the same time I was confused. Why was he trying to take down Batman? Or well, Bruce Wayne? I didn't understand. I knew that Daggett wanted to take over Wayne's Enterprise, and that's why I had gone to the stock market to prevent it. I just didn't know that it would be such a serious threat. People had been taken hostage to get out of there. It was crazy and Bane had done it. Did Bane know that Bruce Wayne was Batman too? I had so many questions, but I didn't want to ask him anything, I didn't want to have to talk to him right now.

It started to get quieter after a while, and I could hear Bane yawn after a few hours. I turned around to look him in the eyes and he raised his eyebrow, this was the first time I said something since giving him the silent treatment. All this time I had been thinking about what, how and why this was going on.

"I have a favor to ask." Bane raised his eyebrow.  
"Let me go with you when you go see John Daggett," I whispered and he eyed me. I hadn't told him that Daggett had been the one that tried to kill me. I didn't know if he had put two and two together yet, seeing as how busy he was with his own problems and tasks to perform.  
"I beg of you," I said and he nodded.  
"Under one condition," Bane said and I looked at him questioning, I hoped I wouldn't have to do anything against my will.  
"You stay under my supervision or Barsad's supervision at all time," he said and I nodded. That was better than I had hoped for. I kept thinking so negatively of the man, and all this time he actually had been honest with me and kept me alive, but he did take me as a hostage.  
"Deal," I whispered and sat up. I stretched and stood up.  
"I guess you'll be keeping me here for some time," I mumbled nonchalantly and lifted up my skirt slightly. His eyes trailed up my legs to my thigh holster which I unhooked and laid on the table while still watching his eyes.

"Might as well make myself comfortable," I said and his eyes met mine. I felt him grin slightly behind his mask.  
"You are not as innocent as I presumed," he said and I shook my head.  
"I never said I was," I whispered.

I laid back down on the bed and turned my back to him. I didn't know if I should tell him that Daggett had been the one that (almost) killed me. This might be the only chance I would get to murder Daggett, to get my revenge. I should keep it a secret, in case Bane would want to stop me. I didn't know how deep their bonds were. But quickly my thoughts subsided and I fell into a deep sleep.

I woke up during the night to find Bane sleeping upright in the chair with his arms across his chest. His large chest rising and falling with each breath. I guessed I was sleeping in his bed, seeing as he needed to be ready at all times and this was the operating station.  
"Bane," I said softly and he opened his eyes and looked back into mine. I could see that he was tired.  
"Lie down," I said and he shook his head. I was still sour with him, but at the same time I felt obligated to let the man sleep in his own bed which I occupied. I didn't know what to do, should I trust the man? He wouldn't hurt me, I was sure of that. But why did he keep me? Why did he take me away? I didn't understand what he wanted from me.

"I am just resting my eyes, don't worry. I'll be fine," he said and I nodded. He walked over to me and pulled the covers over me and up to my chin. His hand brushed slightly past my cheek and I looked up at him.  
"Sleep," he said softly. I shut my eyes and I listened to his steady breathing which hummed me to sleep while he sat down again. I didn't feel him caress my skin after I had fallen asleep, he had gotten up and sat down on the bed, caressing my cheek while I slept and he was lost in deep thought, but I dreamt about him again. I dreamt about him sitting before me on his knees, with a knife sticking out of his side, telling me that he would take care of me, during life or death. But then I woke up and it was morning again.


	10. Daggett

"Get ready, we will be taking you to Daggett," Bane said as soon as I turned to see if anyone else was awake. I could smell a fresh and woody-aromatic smell coming from him, he had just gotten out of the shower. But he paid no further attention towards me while I sat up.  
"Here," Barsad came up to me and gave me clothes.  
"Guess this will fit your taste better," Barsad winked at me, I thanked him and he showed me where I could take care of myself. I did my routine, showered, dressed and got ready. But when I was done I walked up to Bane and stood behind him, looking over his shoulder, watching some statistics he was working on and I couldn't figure out.

"Bane?"  
"Hm?"  
"I don't mean to be a trouble, but I would like some more painkillers," I said softly. He turned to me and looked into my eyes as he carefully lifted my shirt and revealed my ribs. I could feel myself tense up a little, he treated me like I was some kind of doll he could do anything with. The skin was almost fully healed, it was scabbed and everything, but it was getting there. His thumb stroked the skin carefully, making sure not to hurt me.  
"You come back with me after we talk to Daggett, and I'll give you those painkillers," he said and I nodded. He was making sure I wouldn't make a run for it I presumed. I didn't understand why he wanted to keep me so badly.

He handed me my thigh holster and my gun.  
"I trust you will not shoot me," he said and I looked away, not answering.

I hooked it up to my thigh and he watched me again and I looked up at him.  
"You enjoy this?" I asked and I felt him smirk behind his mask.  
"Miss Darling, it isn't often that we have a woman enter our domain. And it isn't often that I can lay my eyes upon one so beautiful," he said easily and charming and I felt my heart skip a beat like it had been doing often. I blushed furiously and he walked away and I followed. I put the thoughts aside, putting them out of my head. He didn't mean anything seducing by that did he? Whatever, he was just trying to tease me and lighten up my mood.

I got into the car and sat in the back seat with Bane, we drove off into the city and to Daggett's company. We didn't say a word on our way there, but when we arrived, we headed inside with weapons drawn. I saw a woman sitting behind a counter and when she saw us, she looked like she was going to scream in fear. We must've been a scary looking bunch. A man who was built like an ox, wearing a mask. Men carrying guns and a young woman who had revenge in her eyes. Yes, she knew who I was when she looked into my eyes. She knew what had been going on and she knew why I had come.

"Stay down here," Bane commanded his henchmen. I stepped into the elevator with Barsad and Bane and I looked into the woman's eyes as the door closed. I grinned slightly, my heart pounding with adrenaline. And when we got to the top floor, I could hear Daggett's famous voice, yelling at his assistant. He was actually yelling something about Bane, so Bane stepped out and around the corner, to appear in front of him.

"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear," Bane said.

"What the hell is going on?" Daggett asked angrily.  
"The plan is proceeding as expected."  
"Do I look like I'm running Wayne Enterprises? Your hit on the stock exchange didn't work, my friend. And now you've got my construction crews working all hours around the city. How's that supposed to help my company absorb Wayne's?" Daggett was furious. But Bane looked at his assistant, Stryver.  
"Leave us," Bane told Stryver.

I was listening around the corner with Barsad, who was ready to step in at any moment.  
"You stay right here, I'm in charge here."  
"Do you feel in charge?" Bane asked and I felt the atmosphere change swiftly. Daggett had thought he was in charge of Bane, but he wasn't. I didn't believe that anyone could be in charge of a man like Bane.  
"I've paid you a small fortune," Daggett said while Bane towered over him.  
"And this gives you power over me? Your money and infrastructures have been important. Till now," Bane said, grinning behind his mask. I needed to step in, I wanted to see the look on Daggett's face when he would see that I was alive. I wanted to see the fear behind his eyes.

"What are you?" Daggett whispered.  
"I am Gotham's reckoning. Here to end the borrowed time you've all been living on."  
"You're pure evil," Daggett cowered and I stepped up and walked towards them. Daggett's eyes laid upon me and his mouth was ready to fall open. I could see all his anger and fear rise and get the better of him.  
"Malice," he whispered and I walked up to him, his voice wasn't more than a squeak.  
"Why don't you tell my friend what you did to me?" I asked Daggett and he looked in Banes eyes who eyed him. Bane knew that I had worked for him, but he didn't know how much shit I had been through to prove my importance.

"Mr. Daggett here is the gentleman that killed me, after I tried warning my friend Mr. Wayne about what was going on. I had done so much for Mr. Daggett, consuming other companies, obeying his every wish. I am sorry for the commotion I have made Bane, but I needed to face this motherfucker one more time," I grabbed my gun but Bane stopped me and gave my hand a gentle squeeze. I looked in his eyes and he beckoned me slightly to lower my weapon. I eyed him and did as he said.

"Mr Daggett. It seems to me that you are the one that brought this young lady to my attention. I thank you for that. But knowing you were the one that hurt her, angers me. I am not pure evil, Mr. Daggett," he said and grabbed him by the throat.  
"I am necessary evil." Bane grabbed his head and while Daggett kicked and struggled, Bane snapped his neck in front of my eyes and dropped his lifeless body in front of his feet. I felt no sorrow or shock seeing the death of this man. I actually felt a strange kind of justice…

I looked up in Banes eyes and he nodded sternly at me.

"I will not let you dirty your hands anymore," he said softly and he walked up to Barsad.  
"Dispose of the body." Bane beckoned me to follow him and I did. Silently we rode the elevator back down and headed out the door again and got into the car while we waited for the others. No police had been informed. The lady behind the desk was unconscious and we left without being seen.  
"Thank-you," I told Bane softly.

"Do not thank me, it was needed." Barsad and the rest came back and we drove back to the hide-out in silence, and when we arrived I wondered what would happen next.

We headed down to the sewers and to our spot deep under the city, where I followed him to the usual place we stayed, far away from the bacteria and sewage, a small city on its own, under Gotham.

Bane walked to the room with the monitors and the bed while I followed him. He immediately searched through a box and grabbed a small bottle of toxin and filled a needle while I watched him. He was a man of his words.  
"Lie down, this will make you dizzy," he said and I did as he said and laid on the bed. He lifted my shirt and I let him inject the toxins into the tubes. I groaned softly as I could feel it rush through me, he felt my forehead in case of a sudden rising fever and I held on to the bed as everything turned.

"Will you be leaving Bruce Wayne alone?" I asked him softly while I looked up at him. He was leaning over me.  
"What is he to you?" Bane asked and I shook my head.  
"We both have our secrets Bane," I said softly as I stood up and steadied myself on his large shoulders.  
"Lie down," he commanded carefully.  
"Give me a second," I said and took a seat behind his computer. I made my way into several systems with simple hacks and erased all the traces of their existence, seeing as the police could've gotten a lead on them after hacking into the stock market system.

"I made sure that no one will be able to find you, and I erased the footage of the camera back at Daggett's. Just the people that saw us will know," I told him and he eyed me, he was observing me.  
"Why are you here?" I asked him while watching his expressions. I didn't understand why he was doing this, but his answer was simple.  
"Like you said Miss Darling, we all have our secrets."


	11. Nausea

I laid back down on the bed and felt myself become nauseous through the toxins relaxing my muscles and relieving the pain.   
"What will happen now?" I asked Bane and he looked down at me while I looked back up at him. He was such a large man, but slowly I felt less intimidated by him. I started to actually feel comfortable with him.   
"We lie low, they know our faces, but they will think we fled and so when it dies down, we continue," he said and I watched him.   
"With what?" I asked.   
"All in time miss Darling." He clearly didn't want to let me too far into his plan.   
"Are you keeping me here?" I asked him.   
"You are free to come and go as you wish, but I suggest staying here," he said, I had seen him flinch. It seemed as if he wanted to keep me here. But what use was I to him? What did I matter to a man like him?

"Can I help you with anything?" He shook his head.  
"Not right now, please lie down. I can see the nausea rising by your expression, it's been a harsh day. Sleep." I nodded and I kicked off my boots and jacket and laid down while clutching my head. He pulled the covers over me and before I knew it I was in a deep sleep.

When I woke up during the night, Bane was sleeping up right like he had done before. I had a bad habit of waking up during the night, usually I would fall right back asleep, but seeing him sitting there with his arms crossed in front of his chest made me wonder if he was comfortable.

"Bane," I whispered and he stirred in his sleep. His eyes opened and I looked back in them.   
"Lie down, you need more sleep than me," I said, sitting up straight. He stood up and sat down on the bed I lied on.

"Rest Darling," he said softly and I felt his cool hand caress my cheek softly.   
"What about you?" I asked with my eyes closing. His touch became warm and comforting.   
"I'll have my sleep," he said and I nodded off into my dreams again. I felt the bed shift during the night and a warm presence near my legs, and I could see Bane sleeping with his back against the wall, upright again. He was so stubborn; I didn't understand why he wouldn't just lie down. His hand lay on my leg and I caressed it softly and slept soon again.

The next day when I woke up, Bane was already up and about. I listened to him bark at his henchmen and started to wonder, did he work on his own? Or did he work for someone? What were his secrets? I had been living with a man which I knew barely anything about, and just now it started to bother me. How naïve was I?!

"Malice," I looked up at Barsad as he sat down on the chair.   
"Are you going to be alright down here?" He asked and I nodded.   
"Yeah, I'll be fine. I'm used to the dark," I smiled and he nodded.   
"You can use our gym, if you don't mind the guys," he said.   
"I think I'll do that, kills some time," I said and he beckoned me to follow him.

We entered the gym where a few guys were working out. Barsad handed me a device, a mp3 player and he smiled.   
"Hope you like rock music," he said and I smiled at him.   
"What would I do without you," I grinned. He winked at me and pointed at the locker rooms.   
"There are clothes in there for the workout and afterwards. If we need anything from you, we'll let you know."   
"Thank you Barsad," I said and he left while I walked into the empty locker room. I quickly changed, put on a pair of jogging pants and a tank top and was ready to start. I put on the ear phones while walking out the locker room and grinned when I heard the familiar Godsmack playing; Crying Like a Bitch. I headed to the treadmill and began to do my running, ignoring the guys that were watching me and kept my fast pace up for at least a half an hour. After that I drank some water from the bottle that Barsad had brought me and started doing pushups and crunches. I could feel my ribs straining but it was alright, after I was done with that I started doing pullups, training my arms and pulling my body up all the way until my arms were stretched, and than slowly lowering myself again.

I didn't notice Bane walk into the gym as I pushed my body up and did a handstand on the bars. I kept myself upside-down for a few seconds, then I lowered myself slowly and made a 360 turn around and landed on my feet again, looking up at Bane who was watching me. I blushed, although my face was slighty red already from the workout.  
Hopefully I could impress him a bit.  
"Impressive Darling," he said and I thanked him. I brushed my hands off and he walked up to me.   
"Do you need me for something?" I asked him and he shook his head.   
"I came to see how you were doing," he said and I smiled.   
"Killing time, might as well use it wisely." I walked over to the punchingbag and readied myself. I started lashing out and although my punches had force, they weren't as effective as they had been before.

Bane watched me for a few minutes and I started kicking the bag too. He walked up to me and stood behind me.   
"You are fast and powerful, but some men will overpower you." He put his hand on my shoulder and pointed out a few dots on the bag.   
"Imagine your opponents body, the head, torso and limbs. With your fastness, hit against the head," he took my hand, stopping his sentence and made me hold my hand straight.   
"With a flat hand, but use the side as if you would be cutting him," he said. I used my hand to attack the punchingbag and it left a force.   
"He will stumble by the blast to the temple which gives you a chance to get his feet from out under him," I felt my legs being removed from under me by Bane and I fell, but he held me upright against his hard chest and I laughed.   
"You are light, so unexpected you would be easier to bring down, since you don't have the weight to stand as sturdy. But try pushing me to the ground and you'll never make it because off the weight I push down on," he said while still holding me upright. I could feel his breathing and his heart slowly beating.

"When your opponent is down, you have more of a chance to overpower him, and ofcourse a good kick to the head and jewels will make any man go unconsicous," he said and I thanked him.

"Train, I shall teach you more. It is good for a young lady like yourself to know how defend yourself against big bad men," he said while walking around. And I wondered if by that, he also meant himself.


End file.
